![]() He reminds neophyte collectors a book doesn't have to be ancient to be valuable. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" from $100 to $1,000. "A serious collector wants books to be as close to the original as possible."Īnd Gloss pointed out well-preserved dust jackets on 20th century books can make a huge difference in resale value, boosting, for example, an early copy of F. "It doesn't have to be pristine, but it will be more valuable if it is," he said. "But if you've got a 300-page book on the history of Natick, you might have something valuable."Ī rare book's condition clearly affects its value, said Gloss. "If you've got 300 books on Bay State railroads, for example, you can't have that many without some of them being good," he said.Īs a rule of thumb, Gloss said, "the less a book is about, the better value it's likely to have.If you've got a 300-page book on the history of the world, that's pretty common," he said. When approached by people who have inherited an estate that includes many volumes, Gloss tells them more specifically focused collections are likely to include more valuable books. Talk to people and get some ideas about what interests you," he said. "First, I'd tell people just starting out, look around the fair and see the vast array of what's out there. While the Friday evening session tends to be dominated by high-end sellers and buyers, he said the Saturday and Sunday sessions provide ample opportunities for collectors on a budget. Gloss offered several suggestions for first-time visitors to the fair and beginners just starting collections. Sunday, 3 p.m.: Chris Vilnis will discuss Japanese illustrated books.Īnd for anyone who has found a trunk of old books in their attic, Gloss said experts will appraise visitors' books from 1 to 3 p.m.Sunday, 1 p.m.: James Reid-Cunningham will discuss "The art of the book.".Saturday, 5 p.m.: Movie critic Kenneth Turan will discuss novels that inspired film noir. ![]() Saturday, 1 p.m.: Barbara Haber will discuss the history of cookbooks.Just some of the fair's special events include: Some of the fair's rarest treasures on display and for sale include the original screenplay for "Strangers on a Train," signed by Alfred Hitchcock, and a rare first edition of Jules Verne's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea." "When you ask someone at the fair who loves what they do, the tough thing sometimes is to get them to stop talking," Gloss said. While acknowledging many dealers will be showing rare and "pricey" articles, he stressed visitors will find a variety of modestly priced books, prints and ephemera, while encountering experts who love to talk. The second generation proprietor of the Brattle Book Shop in Boston's Downtown Crossing, Gloss has appeared as an appraiser on PBS's "Antiques Roadshow" and as an expert witness for the prosecution in Boston Federal Court. "Under one roof, collectors will meet dealers who are knowledgeable about virtually everything from children's books to modern literature, from ancient texts to maps and prints, and books about George Washington," he said. ![]() Located in the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, the Fair runs tomorrow through Sunday.įor Kenneth Gloss, who has been on the fair's organizing committee since 1975 and chaired it for 15 years, the event gives amateur and mid-level collectors a chance to learn from experts in many arcane specialities. Starting tomorrow, more than 120 book dealers from around the world will be showing and selling everything from antique maps to modern first editions, hand-drawn prints to a copy of "Women in Love" signed by D.H. Then head on over to the 31st Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair this weekend to see if you have a valuable treasure or just something fun to read. ![]() You got a Life magazine with Roger Staubach on the cover or maybe a Colonial era cookbook with a recipe for sauteed eels? What about Grandma's old copy of "The Great Gatsby" or that battered volume of bird paintings by John James Audubon? ![]()
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